Vehicle lifts generally are well known. One form of such lifts comprises a hydraulically cylindrical lift tube or piston having a head pivotally supporting a plurality of cantilevered swivel lift arms with telescopic ends adjustable to cooperate with lift points on the vehicle frame. U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,620 discloses such a lift and is herewith incorporated in its entirety by this reference. In use, the hydraulic piston and head are disposed directly, and more or less centrally, under a vehicle, with the arms extending outwardly for engagement of their respective ends with lift points or frames of vehicles.
Another form of such lifts comprises two lift columns oppositely disposed outside the perimeter of the vehicle. Each column supports two pivotable, telescoping lift arms which extend from the columns under the vehicle and with ends engaging lift points in a vehicle frame. U.S. Pat. No. 6,866,124 discloses such a lift and is herewith incorporated in its entirety by reference.
In both forms of lifts, the lift arms must be angularly and linearly adjustable so their ends respectively lie beneath predetermined lift points on a vehicle frame. When the respective lift columns are activated, the positioned lift arms rise and engage the vehicle to lift it.
If the lift arms are not properly positioned, they may engage undesirable or non-structural elements of the vehicle or vehicle frame, resulting in damage to the vehicle, or in unstable lifting, the results being potentially catastrophic should the lifted vehicle shift on or fall from the lift.
Since the lift arms extend under the vehicle in any such form of lift, an operator must typically get down on the floor of the garage or facility, reach under the vehicle to the lift arm, and both pivot and telescope the arm so the respective arm end aligns with a lift point on the vehicle frame. Frequently, the lift is then raised slightly with the operator then getting down to check the alignment before the lift engages the vehicle.
With the lift arms disposed under the vehicle to be lifted (within the outer periphery of the vehicle), the lift arms are difficult for an operator to reach, and to move or adjust pivotally and linearly. Typically an operator is thus required to lie on the facility floor or on a wheeled support to get far enough under the vehicle for such adjustment.
Accordingly, it is an objective of this invention to provide apparatus for facilitating adjustment of the lift arms of a vehicle lift without the prior operator having to move far under or beneath the vehicle.
A further objective of the invention is to provide adjustment apparatus for the lift arms of a vehicle lift.
A further objective of the invention is to facilitate proper placement of the lift arms of a lift under a vehicle to be lifted.